What Your Unsubscribes REALLY Mean

A week or so ago, I sent out a straightforward email to my list, letting them that I was changing up my format (I created an email that included both a short version and a longer version) and I also announced that I was going to be opening up my shop and selling my FIRST ever product. 

It was my best email moment ever. I got the most email replies (5! Hey, that's a lot for me!) and ONE social media share! 

But with the sweets come the sour.

I also got the MOST UNSUBSCRIBES EVER in one go. Eight people decided to bounce out and say sayonara to my emails in their inbox. 

Clearly, I was doing something right but the way it made me feel was all wrong.

Oh well. It happens. That’s part of business and putting yourself out there. People will either love what you do and want to know more or they will unsubscribe. That’s the rule of the game. 

Unsubscribes seem very personal. But really they’re not. Current thought about unsubs is that: 

YOU’RE NOT engaging your folks enough. 
YOU’RE NOT giving them content they care to read. 
YOU’RE NOT giving value.

Okay, that makes sense. On a purely, intellectual level - we get that. But on an emotional level all we REALLY SEE IS:

YOU’RE NOT ENOUGH....AND YOU SUCK. 

Because you CAN’T keep their attention. 
Because WHAT you write about isn’t important.
Because what you GIVE isn’t valuable.

“Brass Tactics will trump your Heart of Gold”  is the message we get. 

I think that’s a little harsh. 

And a pretty detrimental message to download. Instead of feeling like you’re not enough, see the situation for what it is:

THEY’RE NOT interested.
THEY’RE NOT going to buy from you (at least for right now).
THEY’RE NOT your people. 

And then... let it and them go. 

Remember, don’t take it personal. Don’t take it personal! Don’t take it personal!

Try not to focus on the unsubs too much.  Instead focus on what’s REALLY PERSONAL to YOU:

What you’re trying to GET DONE. 
What you’re trying to BUILD. 
What you’re trying to CREATE. 

I would love to know your thoughts about unsubscribes. Do they bother you? Are you just like “Eh, whatever! Eff'em. Don’t care!” ? Comment below and let me know how you handle them.